Small in size, big in deeds
In the movie Meet Joe Black Anthony Hopkins’ character, speaking at his final birthday, refers to time, saying ” Sixty years. Doesn’t it go by in a blink?” Watching for it or not, time speeds by us, or maybe it’s with us, I’m not sure. None of us seem to have enough of it, yet some make really good use of the time given to them. The best of these somehow find time to give to others, to something greater than themselves. Such is the case with Barb Agnew, founder of the Monarch Trail at the Milwaukee County Grounds. Busy enough as co-owner of Barb and Dick’s Wildflower Florists in Wauwatosa, Barb donates her other time and energy to the Monarch Trail, a thin sliver of a path that winds through a small patch of green surrounded by concrete. Sitting in the midst of greater Milwaukee, it is a small sanctuary for things both animal and human. One of the most unique aspects of this place is that monarch butterflies stop here on their annual migration to Mexico, hence its name, the Monarch Trail. To stand in this oasis of green and see dozens of monarchs resting on a tree branch is to want to preserve it. Smallish in size, Barb is large in deed. Her shared time that I witnessed a year ago was the catalyst for the Portfolio section of the Sept/Oct 2011 issue of Wisconsin Trails. The Portfolio is called ” The Guardians ” a series of images that gives a deep bow to those among us in Wisconsin giving their time to something past what is in the mirror.
You can see the Monarch Trail for yourself at the Milwaukee County Grounds at 9480 W. Watertown Plank Road in Wauwatosa. Learn more about the Monarch Trail here: http://www.themonarchtrail.org
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Only last night on our evening stroll (walking past some random milkweed) I was remembering several summers ago when we got caterpillars from a friend. They were on the first leg of their journey toward becoming Monarch butterflies, and it was one of our most quietly exciting shared family experiences to watch the course of nature unfold over the next few weeks. How good to know about the Monarch Trail being so close by – we’ll go! Jerry, beautiful photos as always.
This blog took me back to my childhood and the pictures were wonderful! Thanks for sharing them.